Ninjas In Kente Cloth

Conny went to Brooklyn Museum over the weekend and saw Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party and the Global Feminisms exhibition. The former was beautiful and the latter intriguing on so many levels. I stumbled upon work by Aussie artist Fiona Foley and her photographs of the HHH – Hedonistic Honky Haters.

Apparently this was a real group that tried to give the ill finger-up-the-ass to their paleskin counterpart, the KKK – The Kuntry Kracker Kuzzin’ – fuckers. Conny of course would have at least taken a pamphlet had she run across these negroes during the movement. Hell, I’ll take a pamphlet now the way they’re lynchin’ our boys over in Eye-rack.

Anyway, I had several responses to this piece. It’s hilarious. I mean, look at dude’s eyes. And essentially they’ve taken these Bed-Stuy produced garments that my people call Akans and draped a hood over it.

It’s somewhat empowering although they do seem to have appropriated the style of the same organization they are trying to resist and I rarely think that’s an effective approach. Is it powerful enough as a parody? Is it unique enough to stand as its own symbol and not evoke the imagery of the Klan? But what if by “defiling” the original KKK costume they are challenging what the group stands for?

Also, why are they inactive? The more I look at those rowdy outfits, the more I want an application. But if you look at the other pics, you’ll notice I probably couldn’t pass their paper bag test. We need more militant blue-black negroes in the struggle. You know, diversity.